I squeezed Harry’s hand and we went into the courtroom. It was huge with the entire Wizengamot and Fudge sitting at one end. I looked around for Lucius, but I couldn’t find him. Maybe he wasn’t in it at all. Harry was directed to sit in a chair that was positioned in the middle of the room while I sat in the stands where the audience would be. After we were seated, Dumbledore burst into the room which startled Fudge.

“Now then Mr. Potter, you live at Number Four, Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey. Last Thursday night, you produced a Patronus Charm in the presence of a muggle. Do you deny this?”

“No…”

“And you know underage magic is against wizarding law?”

“Yes, but…”

“Then I have no choice but to…”

“I only did it because of the dementors!” Harry exclaimed.

“Dementors in Little Whinging?” a woman asked.

“Ahh, that’s clever Mr. Potter. Muggles can’t see dementors. And since you can produce no witnesses, how can this be verified?”

I scoffed and stood up. “I’m the witness, Minister.” Fudge glared at me and instructed Harry and I to switch seats.

“Please begin.” Fudge said.

“My name is Natalie Potter, and I am Harry’s sister. On Thursday, I came back from my boyfriend’s, Draco Malfoy’s, house. Harry wasn’t anywhere in my aunt’s house, so I decided to take a walk to the neighborhood playground we used to go to as kids. There I found Harry sitting on one of the swings. We talked for a little while before our cousin, Dudley, and his friends walked up to us and started making fun of Harry for having nightmares. Before I could react, Harry had gotten in Dudley’s face and pointed his wand. The…”

“You mean to say that Harry took his wand out in front of a group of muggles?” Fudge asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “And to be frank, I don’t like being interrupted. If you disrespect me in any way Minister, a little birdie might just whisper something to Lucius Malfoy.”

He cleared his throat. “P-please continue.” he stammered.

“As I was saying, Harry pointed his wand at Dudley and the other boys laughed because they thought it was just a stick. Suddenly, clouds covered the sky, the wind started blowing really hard, and it got extremely cold. Harry and I took off running with Dudley behind us. We ended up under a bridge and the lights flickered and froze over. I turned around and then a dementor grabbed Harry and pushed him against the wall. I told Dudley to run, but he slipped and fell. Another dementor came and started to attack him. I did not have my wand so I couldn’t do anything. Harry cast the Patronus, got rid of the dementors, and then Mrs. Figg, the squib that lives down the road from us, took us back to Privet Drive.”

Fudge looked shocked, but quickly regained his pompous demeanor. “This story could have been easily orchestrated between the two of them!”

“Those in favor of conviction?” a woman stated. Fudge was the first one to raise his hand, but then a few others copied. “Those in favor of clearing Harry Potter of all charges?” The rest of the Wizengamot raised their hands.

“Cleared of all charges.” stated Fudge, and the Ministry officials started to file out of the room.

I stood up and turned to Harry, who was coming toward me with a big smile on his face. “I told you it would work out fine.” I said. He hugged me, picked me off my feet, and spun me around before setting me down again.

“I honestly thought I was a goner when you mentioned me pointing my wand at Dudley.” he said. I laughed.

“Yeah, well you better be plenty thankful I saved your arse.”

He nodded. “Let’s go find Mr. Weasley.”

A Ministry official was waiting to take us back to Mr. Weasley’s office. On our way to the elevator, I saw Lucius talking to Fudge.

“Do you mind if I say a quick hello?” I asked. Harry and the official stopped and waited for me as I went over. “Hello Lucius.” I said happily. Fudge glared at me as Lucius turned.

“Hello again, Natalie. How did the trial go?”

“It went well. I shared the story of what happened, and we won.”

“Good to hear. Draco is here with me as well. I’m sure you would like to see him. He’s sitting in the Minister’s office.” I smiled and thanked him. I ran back to Harry and told him about Draco.

“Fine, we can go up there.” I basically ran to the elevator. I had missed him so much.

We were led to Fudge’s office. As we stood outside, I said, “Harry, you go find Mr. Weasley. I can find my way back.” He smiled knowingly and walked away. I knocked on the door and entered.

Draco was fiddling with the trinkets on the desk. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around him. He turned and smiled when he saw me. He gave me a hug and kissed me sweetly.

“Nat, what are you doing here?!”

“Well, I was coming back from the trial and ran into your father, who told me you were here.”

“Wait, the trial was for you?! Why?”

“No, it was for Harry. He cast a Patronus Charm last week to save my and Dudley’s life. Since Fudge hates him, he tried to get the entire Wizengamot to expel him. It didn’t work of course, since I was the witness.”

He smirked and hugged me again. “I missed you so much.” he said as he nuzzled my neck.

“I missed you too.”

“What have you been doing since you left? Your last letter was very vague.”

“Oh nothing much; just hanging out with all the Weasleys.”

Just then, the door opened, and Lucius and Fudge walked in.

“Natalie, Weasley wants you to meet him at the fountain on the main floor. Draco, my business is taken care of. We’re leaving.” Draco and I nodded and followed the older man out of the room.

To head back to Grimmauld Place, Mr. Weasley wanted to take the underground because he was still completely fascinated by them. When we walked in, confetti rained down from the ceiling and covered us.

“I wrote Molly telling her of the outcome.” Mr. Weasley laughed.

There was a sound of pounding footsteps coming from the stairs and the entire Weasley clan and Sirius came into view.

“Harry! Natalie! I’m so glad to see you home! I’ve started dinner and it should be ready in a half hour.” Mrs. Weasley said as she pulled us into one of her famous bone crushing hugs and then ran back off downstairs to the kitchen.

Fred and George each grabbed one of my arms and pulled me upstairs. “What are you guys doing?”

“How did you like the confetti display?” Fred asked as he draped an arm around my shoulders.

“It was cool, except I got some in my hair.” For effect, I pulled one out and threw it in his face. George ruffled my hair.

“Just wait until you see what we got planned for your birthday!” he exclaimed.

“Oh no guys, please say it won’t be as bad as last year!”

“It wasn’t bad.” George defended.

“Yeah, it was awesome.” Fred finished.

“Guys, you nearly caught the place on fire! And this year, you can use your magic! Dear Merlin!”

They laughed and pinched my cheeks. I slapped their hands away.

“You have so little faith young grasshopper!” Fred exclaimed dramatically.

“I just don’t want to die.”

At dinner, I was sitting in between Harry and Fred. We were talking about the twins’ new products they were coming up with. “You’ll help in development, right Nat?”

“Yup, you can count on me.”

George, who was sitting across from me, laughed. “Freddie, how can she possibly help when she’s too busy sucking face with Malfoy?”

I threw my napkin at him as Mrs. Weasley came over to us.

“Sorry to you interrupt your fun. Harry and Nat, would you two mind if we had a combined birthday party for you this year? Your birthdays are so close and I wouldn’t want to inconvenience anybody by making them come twice in such a short amount of time.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine with me.”

“It’s fine with me too, Mrs. Weasley. You ask us this every year. Why wouldn’t it be okay with us?”

She smiled warmly. “I just like to make sure. You kids grow up too fast. One minute you are fine, but the next you may get quite an attitude. Well anyway, thank you dears. And don’t worry Harry, when you turn seventeen, you can have your own party.”

When she left to go tend to dessert, I smiled goofily at my brother. “Yay! A birthday party, Harry! Can you believe it?!” I exclaimed in somewhat mock excitement. He just shook his head and laughed at me.

A/N: Chapter 7! What did you think of the trial? Pretty please with dragon eggs on top review! I love hearing your opinions on each chapter! Thanks!